graves



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

1 J. GRAVES. Soldering Machine.

No. 242,631. Patented-June 7,1881.

Huss

EEEEE N. PETEVns. PhDw-Lnbogmpmr. wnshingwn, n. c.

Y BSheets--Sheet Patented June 7,1881.

J. GRAVES. Soldering Machine.

(No Model.)

EEEEE- (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet s.

' J. GRAVES.

I Soldering Machine. NO. 242,631. Patented June'7,188l.

Pf-JM w27/2,.. 9% MW,

N. PETERS. Phntolilhugrnphar, Washington- D. (Iv

i UNITED STATEs? PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN eRAvEs, OE GREEN POINT, AssIGNOR To HERMAN MILLER, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

soLoEmNc-MAOHINE.

SPECIFICATION mforming part of Letters Patent No. 242,631, dated June 7|, 1881. Application filed April 23, l1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN GRAVES, of Green Point,in the county of Kings and State ot'New York, have invented `certainnew and useful lmprovementsin Soldering-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates 'to that class of soldering-machines in which the cans are inserted in holders, which are carried past stationary vessels containing solder, or vessels containing acid and vessels containing solder, and also, if necessary, stationary vessels containing Water for cooling the cans, the corner of the can to be soldered `being caused to be dipped in or passed through the contents ot the several vessels.

`The principal object of my invention is to enable seams at both heads of the cans to he soldered at one operation.

The invention consist-s in the combination, with stationary tracks or ways and vessels for solder, or for acid and solder, arranged upon l each side thereof, of can-holders and carriers therefor. adapted to move along said tracks or ways past said vessels, and pivoted so that they may be tilted transversely alternately in opposite directions to their line of movement, to cause thevcorner to be soldered to dip into or pass through the acid or solder, and means for til ting said carriers to depress the cans into the acid or solder as they pass said vessels, and to raise them out of said vessels as they` approach the ends thereof. The means for tilting the can-carriers may consist of a stationar* cam with which said carrier engages.

The invention also consists in the combination, with the tracks or ways, vessels, and tilting-carriers, of holders for cans arranged and adapted to rotate in said carriers, and a stationary track with which said holders engage.

in frictional contact and by which the holders and their cans are rotated.

The inventionalso consists in the combination, with the tilting carriers and holders, of guide-rails for the end edges of the cans, whereby a square can, when being turned during the timeitispassing the soldervessels,is prevented from being dipped deeply at the corners.

The invention also consists in a novel construction of the can-holders which enables the cans to yield upward as their corners in turning4 are in contact with the aforesaid guiderails. Y

The invention also consists in various other combinations ot' parts and details or" construc- 55 tion to be" hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side view of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a plan thereof.

Fig. 3 represents a vertical transverse section 6o thereof. Fig. 4 represents a side view 'and longitudinal section of a can-holder, its carrier, and a supporting-carriage, upon a larger scale. Fig. 5 represents a transverse section thereof,

also upon a larger scale. Fig. 6 represents a 65 plan ot a single holder and carrier, a portion of the tracks or ways and a solder-vessel, upon the same scale as Figs. 4 and 5. Fig. 7 represents a transverse section of a portion of a machine of slightly modified form. Fig. 8 represents 7o parallel portions connected by rounded ends, 8o

as most clearly seen in Fig. l. The tracks or ways A are recessed on their inner sides, or are provided at their top and bottom edges with inwardly-projecting `lips a., as seen clearly in Fig. 5. B designates carriages, of which any desired number are arranged between the tracks or ways A, and adapted to travel or move thereon. These carriages consist simply of rectangular frames, the sides of which lit be- 9o tween the lips or anges a on the tracksor ways A, and are supported upon wheels or rollers b, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5. The several carriages B are connected by a chain or other iiexible connection, c, so that they will all move 9 5 in unison, and attached to the chain or connection c, between the carriages, are idle rollers or wheels, cl, (see Fig. 1,) which prevent the pull upon the carriages in rounding the curves in the tracks or ways from being ex- 10o erted at an angle to the tracks or ways, as would be the case if the chain or connection between two carriages rounding the curve was straight. Motion is imparted to the several carriages B, in the present example of myinvention, by a shaft, e, to which rotary motion is imparted in any way, and upon which is a worm or screw which engages with a half-nut, e', in each of the several carriages, and thereby imparts motion to them all. Each of the carriages B contains what I term a can-carrier, and within said carrier is mounted what I term a canholder,77 both of which I will now describe.

C designates the can-carrier, which is mounted on trunnions f in the carriage B, so that it may swing in a direction transverse to that in which it moves, and is provided with an annular or circular head or top, C', and a tailpiece or arm, G2, extending in the opposite direction, all being adapted to swing together. Half the head or top C is made in one piece with the main portion or body C, while the upper half is of semicircular shape, and constitutes a cap secured by bolts g, as seen clearly in Fig. 4.

Within the annular head or top C of the carrier is mounted a can-holder, D, which consists of a circular hub or boss, adapted to turn within the annular head or top C ot' the carrier, and provided With rollers or wheels h, to enable it to turn with as little friction as possible.

At the periphery of the can-holder D is an annular flange or rib, i, having a concave snrface, as best seen in Fig. 5, andas the carrier C and carriage B are moved forward with the holder D this rib iis in contact with a stationary track or bar-here shown as consisting of a wire rope or cable, j-arranged between the tracks or Ways A at their upper straight parts, and supported by arms j extending from one track or way, as seen in Fig. 5.

Arranged upon each carrier C, immediately below the part of the holder D which is in con-l tact with the track j, is a small roller, k, which is supported by springs 7c', and by them pressed tightly upward to hold the track or bar j in tight contact with the circular concave rim t' on the holder D. Hence it will be clearly seen thatl as long as each holder moves in contact with the track j it will be rotated by friction, and after the holder moves out of contact with said track it will be no longer rotated.

It is desirable that each can should be held tightly in the holders D, even though they may vary slightly in form or size, and to provide for this I form each holder D with an opening in its center of the same shape as the can, whether square or round, but considerably larger in size. In said central opening in the holder D is arranged a sleeve or socket, E, of a size to fit the can, and made slightly Haring at its two ends, l, so as to enable the cans to be readily thrust into them. The sockets or sleeves E of the machine here shown are adapted to receive square cans. rlhe cans are slightly larger at the ends than between the ends, owing to the manner in which the heads are secured, as seen clearly in Fig. 5, and to enable such cans to be inserted into the sleeve or socket E and the latter to tightly hold them after insertion, I form each sleeve or socket of sections which are separate from each other,

and are pressed together by springs m, as seenin Figs. 5 and 7. In this example of the invention the socket or sleeve for square cansis divided in its opposite diagonal corners at fn, as seen in Fig. 4, thus forming two sections.

The cans F may be thrust into the sockets or sleeves E of the cani-holders D by hand, and after the completion of the operation of soldering they may be pushed ont by hand or by a pusher, o, which is movable horizontally in an upright post, Gr, and may be moved forward to act upon the cans by a bell-crankv lever, o', as seen clearly in Fig. 2, the said lever o being adapted to be operated by hand. Upon opposite sides of the tracks or ways A, as best seen in Fig. 2, are vessels H H', the first of which may contain acid'or other material which serves as a linx, and the second of which contains solder, and lnay be constructed in any approved manner to keep the solderin a lnolten state. If one head only of the can was to be soldered, the vessels H H would only have to be on one side of the tracks or Ways, but where both heads are to be soldered, as will generally be the case, the vessels are on both sides, as in this instance, and those on one side should be slightly in advance of those on the other side, as best seen in Fig. 2. When the can-carrier C and holder D are in their vertical position, as seen in Fig. 5, the canF is considerably above the vessels H H', andthe carrier and holder are held in such central position by sprin gs p, as seen in Fig. 5. In order to dip the seam to be soldered into the solder in the vessel H, the carrier G and holder D must be tilted upon the journals or trunnions f, and this is done'by a stationary cam, I, with which the tail-piece C2 is in contact as 111e4 can-carriers move forward, and vwhich has a. sinuous edge, as seen in Fig. 6, to give the proper motion to the carrier. It must be borne in mind that the can is being rotated at the time of being dipped in the contents of the solder or acid vessel H or H, and hence that if the can be held tilted at a uniform angle, Ithe rotation or turning of the can will cause its corners to be immersed to a greater degree than the middle portion of the sides. This may be obviated by giving the edge of the cam I, npon which the friction-roller q of the tail-piece Cl bears, the peculiar formation shown in Fig. 6, the portions r of the cam producing the greatest tilting and corresponding to the times when the sides of the can are being soldered, while the portions r produce less .tilting of the can and correspond with the times when the corners of the can are being soldered. If a round can were to be soldered of course the cam I after once tilting the can might have a straight surface to hold the can uniformly tilted until it is necessary to lift the can outof the vessel, and, if desirable, the can might be passed through a third vessel after being soldered, to cool it.

In Fig. 7 I have `shown another example modified to prevent the can from being too much dipped when the corner is brought into the vessel. In this case the two ends of the can are supported by pairs of guide-rails, J designating the two pairs which hold the can while tilted in one direction, and J the two pairs of guide-rails which hold the can when tilted in the opposite direction. The guiderails prevent the can at any point of its rotation from dipping too far in the solder or other contentsof the vessel, and when, by the turning of the can, the corner is brought against said guide-rails the can is moved upward or raised against the force ofthe springs m, which yield and permit the sleeve or socket E, in which the can is inserted, to be raised.

The can carriers and holders have an endless motion, and hence it will be understood that so long` as the cans are thrust into the sleeves or sockets E before the can-holders pass the acid and solder vessels, and are rcmoved after passing the acid and solder vessels, the machine is continuous in its action.

It is desirable that the seam of the can to be soldered should be dipped in to clean, bright solder, and I preferably attach to each carrier G-two skimmers, S, one on each side, which are in front of the cans, and, as the cans are tilted, move through the solder in front of them and skim oi the dross, leaving bright solder for the cans to pass through.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a soldering-machine, with stationary. tracks or ways and vessels for solder or acid and solderarran ged upon each side thereof, of can-holders and carriers therefor adapted to move along said tracks or ways, and pivoted so as to tilt transversely to their line ot' movement to cause the cans carried thereby to dip into or pass through the acid or solder vessels on opposite sides of the tracks alternately, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, in a soldering-machine, with stationary tracks or ways and vessels for solder or acid and solder arranged upon each side thereof, of can-holders and carriers` therefor adapted to move along said tracks or ways and pivoted so as to swing or tilt transversely to their line of movement, and a stationary `cam past which said carriers are moved and to the line of movement of said carriages inV either direction for dipping the cans into the vessels on opposite sides of .said tracks or ways alternately, substantially as speciiied.

4. The combination, in a soldering-machine, with tracks or ways and solder or acid and solder vessels, of can-carriers movable in said tracks or ways and pivoted so as to swing or tilt transversely, can-holders mounted in said carriers, and a stationary track or way with which said holders engage and by which they are rotated as they are moved along, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, in a soldering-machine, of stationary tracks or ways, solder or acid and solder vessels, can-carriers movable in said tracks or ways and pivoted so as to swing or tilt transversely, rotary can-holders mounted in said carriers, and expansible sleeves or sock-` ets in said holders, composed of separate sections supported by springs, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, ina soldering-machine, with stationary tracks or ways and solder or acid and solder vessels, of can-carriers movable along saidtracksor ways, and pivoted so as to swing or tilt transversely, rotary can-holders in said carriers adapted to hold the cans so that they may yield vertically, and stationary guide-rails upon which the ends of the cans are supported and by which they are maintained in proper position while being soldered and rotated in the solder-vessel, substantially as specied.

' JOHN GRAVES. Witnesses:

HENRY T. BROWN, A. C. WEBB.

IOO 

